Thron – Abysmal

Thron is a German Black Metal quintet that was formed three years ago this year. In that relatively short time-span they have so far managed to release one self-titled Full-length release and announced the emergence of another (which will be called Abysmal) later this year. While I have sadly not had the pleasure of giving their earlier record a spin, I have instead given their upcoming album several – And from what I have gleaned from it is very simple:

The five members of Thron are avid Second Wave Black Metal fans. Not only does their lyrics revolve around well-known themes such as satanism, mythology and religion, tracks such as “Beyond The Gates” seem heavily influenced by the grandfathers of the above-mentioned genre, with a powerful and constant drum and bas combination carrying all of the other instruments as well as vocals – Giving it a deep and menacing feel.

That does not mean that Thron has little or no focus on their excellent guitar-work, however; Several guitar solos can be found and heard throughout the ten tracks that Abysmal will consist of (including a few in the track mentioned earlier), but they rarely steal the spotlight for long. Instead, the band seem content to create a strong, coherent whole – Perhaps a bit slower than what the likes of Emperor and 1349 delivered in their heyday, but most definitely in the same venue.

Overall, I would consider Abysmal, if not Thron as a whole, to be a clear extension of the nineties Black Metal scene (especially in Europe). While I cannot pin-point anything in particular that they have done differently (aside from a very clear recorded sound – Unlike the gruff, distorted sound prevalent almost thirty years ago), they are still a prime example of what made that particular approach as impressive and noteworthy as it was – And clearly still is.

Recommended for fans of Mayhem, Emperor, 1349 and early Cradle of Filth.

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